Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is beginning to spark the same kind of dread in opposition bowling attacks that once surrounded West Indian hitter Chris Gayle, according to former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan. With 53 maximums already in the ongoing IPL, the Rajasthan Royals teenager is closing in on Gayle’s ceiling of 59 sixes from the 2012 campaign.
Quick facts
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has struck 53 sixes in the ongoing IPL.
- He is chasing Chris Gayle’s record 59 sixes from 2012.
- In a match versus Lucknow Super Giants, he made 93 off 38 balls.
- The innings included 10 sixes and seven fours.
- Rajasthan Royals won by seven wickets while chasing 221.
- Sooryavanshi was named player of the match; it was his third such award of the season.
On Wednesday night against Lucknow Super Giants, the 15-year-old delivered a devastating 38-ball 93, laced with 10 sixes and seven boundaries. Even with the chase requiring a high tempo—Rajasthan were aiming at a challenging 221—his late acceleration turned the pursuit into a comfortable finish.
Pathan highlighted the brutality of the start, noting that Sooryavanshi’s momentum didn’t fully kick in until later, yet the damage was already underway. “In his first 10 balls, his strike rate was below 100, but by the end he had reached 93 from just 38 deliveries,” Pathan said on JioHotstar.
The former pacer then drew a direct comparison to Gayle, arguing that the current talent is threatening to unsettle bowlers in a similar fashion. “With 53 sixes, he is going after Chris Gayle’s record of 59, which has stood since 2012,” Pathan added. “As bowlers, we were always scared of facing Chris Gayle. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is creating that same fear, and Gayle’s record is definitely in danger.”
Bangar’s verdict on the ‘prodigy’
Another ex-India figure, Sanjay Bangar, struggled to put Sooryavanshi’s level of skill into words. “Can’t really explain it; words are not sufficient. They can’t do justice to the kind of ability this young boy, this young prodigy, possesses,” Bangar said.
Bangar also pointed to the quality of the shot-making, praising the artistry as much as the output. “Some of those shots were extraordinary, to say the least,” he said, before adding that the innings felt like a complete showcase of T20 batting craft.
“He put on a masterclass, a sensational Vaibhav Suryavanshi innings indeed. Terrific to watch, great entertainment,” Bangar remarked. “And he is definitely going to draw crowds wherever he goes and wherever he plays.”
Sooryavanshi’s knock earned him player of the match, his third individual honour of the IPL season. His latest performance not only powered Rajasthan Royals past a steep target, but also further underlined why his six-hitting trajectory is becoming one of the tournament’s defining storylines.
